


Only at Cantata

by Reverse_Vampire



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Coffeeshop AU, Gen, Mainly fluff...or is it?, Where things are a lot more peaceful than canon, more pairings to come later - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-01-21 07:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12452688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reverse_Vampire/pseuds/Reverse_Vampire
Summary: In a world where the killing game does not exist, Kaede Akamatsu works part-time at a coffeeshop named 'Cantata'. In 'Cantata', she meets a bunch of interesting customers as they get to share their colorful stories and background while making some friends along the way.But will this peace last?Coffeeshop AU, where everyone is alive. Will include major endgame spoilers in future updates.





	1. Welcome to Cantata

Cantata, a coffee shop located on a narrow street that was surrounded by other small eateries and grocery stores, surrounded with residential places located several blocks away.

 

The first thing Shuichi noticed upon stepping inside was its warm and homely environment, greeted by the scent of coffee beans, so strong and fragrant that it actually awakened all his senses.

 

For the past several weeks, he had trouble keeping himself alert during investigations due to fatigue, amongst other reasons that he rather kept by himself. After all, he was still a high school student despite working as an amateur detective with his uncle at night. Understand his concerns, his uncle recommended this particular coffee shop situated further from where the crowds usually were.

 

Quiet, isolated, cozy. The perfect place for a boy like him to find some inner peace.

 

Inner peace to escape from the rumors and controversies that he comes across daily in his line of work.

 

“H-hi, there.”

 

Shuichi turned to his right, finding a girl with long blonde hair, with her fringe held up with bobby pins shaped like music notes. She wore a pink apron with the shop’s logo placed at the center, holding the menu with both hands as she gave a quick bow to the first customer of the day.

 

“Please, come on it. I’m Kaede Akamatsu, how may I help you?” Kaede showed Shuichi to the counter seat, with the amateur detective followed and settled onto a wooden chair. She slides the menu right in front of Shuichi, looking upon her customer nervously despite taking her utmost effort to hide the signs.

 

 _“My first customer ever; make a good first impression and always put on a smile. C’mon Kaede! It’s only the opening hours!”_ In her thoughts, she knew that she had to provide the best service possible.

 

“I’m afraid your smile’s a bit too forced, Kaede dear. Your shoulders are a tad too tense.”

 

Kaede and Shuichi turned to the left, finding a woman in her early forties walking down a flight of stairs on a narrow passage. Like Kaede, she wore the same apron, with her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, dressing smart in a white blouse with mid-length sleeves and black trousers.

 

The woman walked towards the counter and lifted the counter flap, taking over Kaede’s position as the younger girl gave way to her.

 

“I can read you like an open book, you know? Thankfully, our first customer of the day isn’t too fussy about this, so take it easy, ‘kay?” The woman gave a light pat on Kaede’s shoulder, reassuring her.

 

“Kaoru-san…” The girl said sheepishly as she placed her arms at the back. The older woman whom Kaede called Kaoru turned back to her customer.

 

“It’s only her first day, so pardon her inexperience.” In a swift, Kaoru took Shuichi’s order, repeating his order to make sure that she received the correct order. “One cup of espresso macchiato, coming right up.”

 

As the owner returned to craft her customer’s order, Kaede strutted towards a device that looked like a phonograph. It blends in very well with the shop’s decor, Shuichi thought, as she placed the tonearm on the vinyl record. As the record spin, it started playing music, which Shuichi recognized that it originated from the Baroque period, given the instrumentation commonly used during the period. Listening to his uncle about general knowledge of classical music had paid off, but his thoughts were interrupted.

 

“ _Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht_ , or translated as ‘Be still, stop chattering’ in German, by Johann Sebastian Bach. Known more famously as the Coffee Cantata, it doesn’t really sound like one and it’s more accurate to classify it as a short comic opera…” Kaede trailed off, finding Shuichi’s supposed blank expression to signal her to think twice before continuing on. The well-versed musical girl blushed in embarrassment. “Hehe…seems like my piano geek side is showing.”

 

“It’s fine, Akamatsu-san.” Shuichi assured, finding this side of hers somewhat adorable. “It’s interesting. Tell me more about this piece. Don’t you think it’s rather amusing that someone actually wrote a piece about coffee?”

 

Before the conversation took off, Kaoru placed Shuichi’s cup of espresso onto the counter.

 

“Here you go. One cup of espresso macchiato. Enjoy.” The older woman rests her head on her left arm, enjoying the scene that was taking place in front of her.

 

“Thanks, boss.” Shuichi lifted the cup of espresso as he inhaled on the fragrant aroma before taking a slow sip, his eyes widened as the caffeine surged through his senses. The milk on the surface added an exquisite layer of flavor to an otherwise intense kick. After spending some time blowing onto his drink to cool it down, he drank the coffee while enjoying the savory taste until the cup was one-quarter full.

 

Shuichi licked the remaining dash of coffee off his lips. “This…this is really good.” The boy detective praised, casually stirring the remains on his cup as he continued. “My uncle recommended me to try out the coffee here. As expected, he knows where the best places are.”

 

The owner gave a glowing smile, satisfied with the praise she received. “Of course, it’s the best coffee around this sleepy neighborhood, if not the entire world. I’ve spent my entire life in making the perfect blend that will surprise anyone, even if they’ve drunk my coffee more than once.”

 

Kaede exchanged with an amused look as she crossed her arms. “That statement never gets old, madam.” Kaede then gave a contemplating look, putting her index finger on her chin. “Now, I wonder if you’ve told this to every single customer that visited Cantata…”

 

“And who are you calling madam?” Kaoru’s words sounded more like a playful quip than a scolding. “I might be only approaching my forties, but I feel like I’m still twenty-four.” The coffee shop owner tossed a rug at the part-timer. “The stenograph needs cleaning. It’s been a while since I got any use of it. Make sure that you wipe those nimble fingers of yours; I can’t have you serve customers with dusty hands.”

 

Kaede let out a nervous laugh before returning to her task.

 

“Thanks for the coffee, Kaoru-san, if you don’t mind calling you that.”

 

The woman let out a chuckle, finding the comment ubiquitous. “Oh, everyone in this neighborhood calls me that.”  “I’ve tended to plenty of customers over the years, but I could only recall the regulars.” Ever the curious lady, Kaoru took a glance at the boy detective’s backpack, finding a few sheets of papers poking out of its opening. “Your bag’s looking busy. Plenty of cases to solve lately?”

 

Shuichi gave a faint smile, sifting the sheets of paper sticking out into the backpack until he could zip it properly. “Well, it’s mostly my handwritten notes while observing how my uncle work. No big deal, really. Although…” The boy took a deep breath before continuing. “although I’ve been handling a couple of small cases myself on my own lately, you could say that after years of tending as an assistant to my uncle, he thought that I’m ready to strike it out on my own.”

 

“That sounds cool.” Breaking the two-way conversation, Kaede found the need to interject as she tossed the dust-filled rag into the sink. “By the looks of it, you’re on your way to being a full-fledged detective in no time! You’ve got the look and introspective feel nailed down, so there’s not much to be worried about.” The pianist encouraged, finding Shuichi’s story interesting of all the tales she has eavesdropped in a while.  

 

Shuichi pulled his cap down to hide his eyes towards the ladies. “Nothing to brag about, really. Mostly it’s solving mundane cases like finding lost items, tailing people around without their knowledge and solving burglary cases. Until I got a major case in having to solve a murder that occurred two days ago.” Shuichi stopped for a moment, finishing up the remaining contents of his coffee before he continued.

 

“I’ve managed to solve it around three hours ago and got the culprit handed to the police, but somehow, I don’t feel proud of my first accomplishment.”

 

“Ohh?” Kaede was perplexed over Shuichi’s dissatisfaction over the success of his first major case. “Why so?”

 

Shuichi covered his mouth as he let out a yawn and rubbed his eye. “Nightmares. Disturbing ones, at that. I’m afraid that it occurred long before I was assigned the murder case. I’ve tried getting sufficient rest whenever I can, but nothing seemed to work. I was thinking about seeking a doctor but I don’t want to make my uncle worry. And hence, look at where it led me.”

 

Kaede empathized with Shuichi’s plight, sharing his reasons for visiting Cantata. But before she could ask further, Shuichi stood up and took his bag off the other seat.

 

“I gotta go. I need to seek to another case, but not to worry, it’s a lot tamer than the murder encounter.” He reassured the part-timer. “I’m starting to like this place, so I’ll be back. Not sure when, but hopefully it will be soon.”  
  


"W...wait!"  
  


Shuichi almost pulled the handle at the door, looking back at Kaede who has something to say to him. He stood still, giving all of his attention to the girl. 

  
"Before you go, I didn't get your name yet. I mean, you said that you'll return and I don't think it's polite to call you 'hey' or 'Mr. Detective'."

 

"It's Shuichi Saihara. You can call me Saihara-kun, or Shuichi-san. Whichever you like."  
  
  


Kaede smiled. “You are welcome at Cantata any time. Please come back again.”

 

With that, Shuichi took his leave, taking a good look at the store’s exterior and smiled before making his way to his next destination.

 

Kaoru, who has been listening to the exchange between the two youngsters felt the need to speak up. “Not bad, not bad. But you need to take it easy. Wait till lunch hours and you’ll find out that you wished you don't need a bigger plate to fill.”

 

The owner took her leave, making her way to the utility closet to get more cleaning utensils before the crowd kicks in at around thirty minutes’ time.

 

“Here, Kaede dear. There’s still a lot more to keep this place spick and span. The mop doesn’t clean the floors by itself, so get going before we have crowd on our hands.”

 

Despite the amount of cleaning and serving she has to do, Kaede did not mind having to do the menial work. Her conversation with Shuichi has already established how her part-time work at Cantata will be like in long-term, and she did not regret jumping the call to her dream job. Coffee, classical music, and interesting conversations. What’s there not to like?

 

This is looking up to be the first and best job she ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is to establish the setting and mood of the AU, and I was prompted by a friend on Twitter to start this Coffeeshop AU after seeing how most of the cast doesn't deserve to be tormented and killed for the amusement of a sadistic robot bear.
> 
> There's more to come, so stay tuned.


	2. Tips & Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaede finds himself meeting two new eccentric but lively customers in their own ways.

“…gonna need two more sapphire ores to craft the Kaleido staff…now, to defeat the Azure Core which is at level…52…location…two hundred metres towards a shop named Cantata. This old place here?”

 

Walking alone along the streets, a girl with a hat, the brim looking disheveled that resembled a mage character from a high fantasy game would wear was found mumbling to herself. The red-haired girl had a device hanging on her neck, holding on to her smartphone as she was surrounded with an elaborate user interface that analyzes every item she sees before her. She turns to the shop named Cantata, and followed the strong but sweet coffee scent that led her towards her current location.

 

The mage girl took a deep breath, preparing to confront the enemy. Not to worry, she thought. She has a not-so-imaginary Amethyst Staff, a Starry Robe and a bunch of high-level rings and armlets equipped, stocked up on her most effective potions and she has been waiting all this time to finally confront a rare monster. Skipping a beat, the girl charged into the store, not realizing what kind of place she will be visiting.

 

“Welcome to Cantata, how may I help---“

 

“Ah!”

 

What came next was a series of tumbles and groans from both parties involved in the clash. Kaede was the first to get up, rubbing her legs to ease the pain before helping out the unexpected guest.  

 

“Nyeh…” Hearing three, short beeping sounds, the shorter girl took out her smartphone as soon as she found proper grounding. All that was shown on the display was a red caution triangle against a white bright display that forces the interface back to the main menu, the surrounding UI soon disappeared along with it.

 

“I was so ready to take out the Azure Core and now it’s gone…” The girl pouted, disappointed over the sudden shutdown of the game.

 

Kaede raised her eyebrow out of curiosity. “Azure Core?”

 

“A rare enemy that drops all the rare goods and to craft...wait a minute. You don’t even know that? It’s a well-known enemy known to everyone that plays Last Illusion XXXV…”

 

Kaede thought it would be wise to leave the red-haired girl to ramble, although her flat and disinterested intonation, yet displaying a hint of enthusiasm beneath it was a paradox in and of itself.

 

“…now there’s no power, I guess I need to recharge it. Does this shop have a recharge station? I’ll pay for the service, if you don’t mind.” The girl took off the other device hanging on her neck, now turning her attention towards Kaede.

 

Kaede looked around and tried to recall if Cantata ever had a recharge station. Or rather, if Kaoru would have allowed any customer to recharge their electronic devices. It’s only been two days since her part-time employment at this coffee shop and she is still learning the inner workings of the service sector, as well as dealing with the strict but slightly eccentric owner of the perfect coffee shop that has all her favorite elements she could ever dream of in one place.

 

Kaoru’s reactions towards anyone preoccupied with electronic devices, especially those with augmented reality functions in her shop was made known very succinctly. She remembered the day she attained the job where Kaoru gave a long rant about how important it was for her guests to enjoy the moment when drinking coffee and interferences has no place at an establishment such as Cantata’s to disrupt the immersion. Though AR devices were becoming more commonplace in this day and age, Kaoru’s stances towards technology in her shop remain unchanged.

 

And out of nowhere…  


“Use the plug at the second last counter on your left! Tell her that it’s free of charge for the first thirty minutes of charging.” Kaoru said, not looking bothered by the situation that was behind her as she continued her tasks.

 

 _That was different_ , Kaede thought. She guessed that Kaoru has moved along with the times when she said that. It took a while for Kaede to find the charging port at the charging station, a small corner laid in between the counter and the regular tables before she connected the device successfully.

 

“While waiting for your device to finish charging, would you like to take a look at what Cantata has to offer?” Knowing the pitching ropes by now, Kaede has put her skills she honed for the past few days into good use.

 

“Nyeh, I’m exhausted.” The girl occupied a seat at the counter, slouching and resting her head on it, looking somewhat lifeless. “I don’t even like coffee anyway, especially those that taste like old medicine-”

 

Kaede’s shoulders began to stiffen and leaned towards the red-haired girl. “I don’t think you should say this in front of Kaoru. She doesn’t like it when people say this.” She whispered, cautiously looking at Kaoru who has just finished cleaning the remaining mugs as she laid them neatly on the metal racks.

 

The smaller girl sighed.

 

“Coffee…the thing’s charging its own source of MP and I’m feeling a bit thirsty after all this running around…” The girl pondered for a while before replying. “I’ll have something sweet, then. I’m not too good knowing the different types of coffee, so do your magic. Make me the best cup of coffee for me, the Ultimate Holy Grand Mage, Himiko Yumeno! You will be greatly rewarded for the perfect cup of coffee that will rejuvenate all my stats; HP, MP, you name it!”

 

* * *

 

“One cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain, all ready. Lightly roasted to bring out the natural sweetness. Fermented, and not fully washed.” Kaoru presented Himiko’s personal order to her place, the girl left to ponder the owner’s obscure coffee terminology. It took her a moment to push aside the jargon that will never be of any relevance to her before stirring her cup as she took her first sip.

 

Then she takes her second sip, and her third. Within a few minutes, she has cleared the entire cup, leaving no drop wasted as Kaede looked upon Himiko in a mix of amazement and shock. It was a hot cup of coffee, and it was a rare sight seeing her finishing the drink in such a short amount of time.

 

Himiko placed her empty cup on the counter. “I like this, I think. But thanks for the drink.”

 

The self-proclaimed mage then took a nap, her snores surrounding the entire shop. Kaede observed Himiko, a little surprised at her actions. To think that someone who just drank a cup of coffee would feel more awake than before, thought Kaede until she was taken aback of Himiko making herself awake not long after.

 

“I’m tired of sleeping. There’s not I want to talk about anyway…” Himiko mumbled to herself, and only Kaede was able to make out her words.

 

“What do you want to talk about anyway?”

 

“Nyeh, nothing.” Aside from the soft rumbling of the coffee machine’s engine, there was an unsettling silence.

 

Kaede hoped to break the silence by raising a new topic. “I’m a pianist. You could say I like the piano so much that everyone calls me a piano freak. Even my parents call me that.”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

“This is my first part-time job. My plan is to earn enough money to get to the best conservatory. I have plans to organize a few concerts here and there to get some recognition. I’ll try to add some popular pieces so that I don’t ostracize audience that isn't too familiar with classical music.”

 

“Sounds good.”

 

And then there was more silence. Himiko was looking more disinterested than ever before and Kaede found herself in a difficult spot. Maybe if she could raise a topic that Himiko might be familiar with instead of focusing on her own likes and dislikes…

 

“So, you were saying. You’re a mage.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Do you happen to be a magician too?” Kaede asked. The question came rather out of the blue. Himiko’s smile quickly turned into a frown, as if Kaede had offended her in any way.

 

Kaede then pointed at her own sleeve. Confused with what that meant at first, Himiko turned to her sleeve and found a poker card poking out of it. The self-proclaimed mage then took a look at her sleeve before sheepishly pushing it back.  

 

“I’m no run-of-the-mill magician; these are no ordinary magic tricks, and I happen to be a great mage in the real world too!” Even when she exclaimed with gusto, Himiko’s flat intonation made it less surprising for the owner and her part-timer.

 

“Show us.” Kaoru interjected, now interested at Himiko’s claim. “What makes your magic so special anyway? I’ve seen plenty of stunts before.”

 

“It’s the most amazing thing you will ever see. “This cup of coffee has refilled my MP, so I’ll show you real magic! Real magic…of the real world!”

 

After pushing the sleeves off her lower arms, Himiko took the empty cup, her other hand swirling on top of the cup in mid-air as she concentrated fiercely onto the object.

 

“Now, it’s your turn. Tap the bottom of the cup and check the top to see if the cup’s really empty.”

 

Following Himiko’s instructions, Kaede tapped the bottom of the cup while Kaoru checked. The cup was indeed empty before Himiko held the cup away from them.

 

“Look closely. I’m going to refill this cup now.” The red-haired girl placed her palm that laid flat on top of the cup, covering it. She left it there for five seconds before lifting it up. The cup was still empty.

 

“One more time.” Himiko redid the steps, but still no coffee.

 

The third time Himiko covered the cup with her palm, rubbing the rims of the cup for about ten seconds.

 

“Now, guess. Will this cup be empty, or will it be full?”

 

“Full, I guess?” Kaede answered. Himiko rubbed the cup some more and lift her hand up.

 

In a flash, Kaede and Kaoru found the once empty cup refilled with a warm cup of coffee. Himiko placed the refilled cup onto the counter, allowing the owner to test the drink. Kaoru took the cup off the counter and took a sip.

 

“That…that’s a Jamaican Blue Mountain all right. Exactly what you’ve ordered earlier.” Kaoru said. Seems like Himiko is the real deal all right.

 

Kaede applauded, impressed with the entire sequence. “That’s such a neat magic trick.”

 

“It’s not a magic trick. It’s realllllll magic.” The mage corrected. “Now, are you convinced of my true magic powers? If not, I will turn unbelievers into a frog.”

 

Kaoru smiled, mildly impressed by the trick. “Nice one. I’m started to think that I might go out of business if this happens all the time-”

 

“Found…you! Yumeno-chan!”

 

The three ladies turned towards the newcomer, a taller girl with twin ponytails that resembles a helix pattern with a green and unusual-looking bandana at the back.

 

“Oh, hey. Chabashira-san-” Before Himiko could continue, the taller girl hugged her to the point that Himiko was having difficulty trying to slide her arms off the taller girl.

 

“I think you’re suffocating her.” It was Kaede’s turn to speak up, concerned over Himiko’s state. The taller girl saw how Himiko was turning pale and quickly released her grip on the smaller girl.

 

“Ahh…ahh! Tenko is so, so sorry, Yumeno-chan! Tenko didn’t mean to do that!” The girl named Tenko began apologizing profusely to the point of kneeling down on the floor and bowing non-stop towards Himiko. “Tenko is sorry, Tenko is sorry, Tenko is sorry…”

 

It took Kaede, Kaoru and Himiko a good five minutes to convince Tenko to stop.

 

“What are you even doing here?” The red-haired girl asked, looking somewhat annoyed at the taller girl’s appearance and behavior.

 

“Thank goodness Tenko has finally found you. Tenko thought you were lost for a second there, seeing you waving randomly in thin air and walking in circles around town for the entire morning.”

 

“Walking in circles? Waving randomly in thin air?” It took Himiko a moment to understand what Tenko was talking about. “Oh, you mean Last Illusion XXXV? I was playing that game and I guess I was having so much fun that I lost track of my bearings.”

 

“Wait, it’s all because of a game???” A shocked Tenko was in disbelief. “Ohhhh~ That thing over there.” For the last twenty minutes, Himiko’s AR device that was laid around the charging station was currently at around 50% of power as the martial arts practitioner took out a similar device off her chest.

 

“Tenko doesn’t have time to play AR games. Let’s just say I’m too busy training in Neo Aikido with her master at the park.” The twin-tailed girl displayed a fighting stance, as if she was ready to fight and take on a thousand enemies that hinder her way. “Tenko thought the AR device will help her train better and more efficiently but the AR enemies are too dumb to lay a hand on me.”

 

“You’re missing out, Tenko.” Himiko said. “I’m kinda bored playing Last Illusion XXXV all by myself. No one ever wants to play with me now that I’m at Level 51…” At the mere thought of her plight, Himiko

 

Kaede had to do something quick before Himiko plunged deeper into her misery. She glanced at Tenko’s AR device at first instinct. “Maybe you could teach me how to hone my skills at Last Illusion, Yumeno-chan. If I remember correctly, I played a bit of the game before I stopped since I wasn’t good at defeating high-leveled enemies.”

 

The pianist hoped that this will lighten Himiko’s spirits, even if it’s only a little.

 

Himiko straightened her sitting posture a bit, Kaede’s question put her spark back. “You…you need my guidance? You’ll do that for me?”

 

Kaede nodded. “Yeah! I think I’m a Level 12 Minstrel. I know the Minstrel class caught plenty of flak for not being as tough or quick as the available classes at my level, but I want to prove them wrong. Do you have what it takes to build up a Minstrel of a good build?”

 

“All right!” Himiko stretched both arms as she cheered with enthusiasm. “I mean…I could try. I don’t know much about building a Minstrel with decent support abilities, but there’s no harm in doing so.”

 

“Wait just a minute!” It was Tenko’s time to interfere, feeling left out between Kaede’s and Himiko’s little conversation. “Tenko…Tenko take that back! I’ll do my best to squeeze time in between training and school to play Last Illusion with you, if you’re okay with this.” The Neo Aikido practitioner took out her smartphone and began accessing the app store, finding the corresponding app to get started.

 

“See, Himiko? Let’s get this started together. Now you don’t need to be alone playing Last Illusion.” Kaede reassured her new friend but before she could do anything, she heard a cough that was signaling her to think twice. As habit, Kaede turned to see Kaoru expressing her displeasure with the idea, pointing at a poster that states all the shop rules that no one should ever be above of.

 

The part-timer let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, yeah. No AR games or applications to be used inside the store. I know that rule inside out, yup…”

 

“It’s fortunate that you young lasses are having the time of your life; making friends, playing games together and hanging out.” Kaoru commented while wiping the counter top. “I wish I was like this when I was your age.”

 

“Hmm? What do you mean?” Before Kaede could have her question answered, she was interrupted with…

 

“Yoooo…what’s up? Oh, Kaoru-san, you’re looking dashing as usual-”

 

Before any of them could react, a hand swiftly slammed the door shut the moment she saw the boy in white. The sudden slam on the door surprised the three girls, Kaoru’s scowl and shrunken irises gave it away of her actions towards the boy standing right outside of Cantata.

 

The owner turned to the three girls, her facial expression lightened up a bit. “I apologize for that sudden outburst. Now, if you could excuse me…” Kaoru left the counter and headed for the door before dragging the boy off somewhere that is out of sight, at least for the three girls that were inside the shop.

 

Tenko joined Himiko at the counter seat, her head fixated to the scene she had witnessed earlier. “So much for this place free of male degenerates. Tenko will have what Himiko has ordered.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go, the second chapter of OaC. The first couple of chapters will focus on worldbuilding, but I promise the fic will get more exciting soon. Just be patient for now. 
> 
> Before the next chapter, please take note that I'll be busy with outside matters for the next two weeks. Updates will be slower, but I'll try to post the next chapter as quickly as I can if time permits. 
> 
> But, I've also come with good news. Updates will be more spontaneous in three weeks, which I'll roughly estimate will be around November 17 thereafter. I hope you enjoyed the fic with whatever I have at the moment. In the meantime, take a guess who will be appearing in the next chapter. I might reward the first person a cookie who guessed it correctly.


	3. Stopover

The skies were clear, and it was another morning along the streets and in the midst of the residential buildings and shops laying across a narrow and quiet street, the coffeeshop named Cantata saw customers entering in and out. Some enjoyed the cozy and warm atmosphere, and others were immediately brightened up by the aroma of coffee poured into the thick paper cups before leaving.

 

Previously Kaoru has her hands full dealing with the customers and serving their orders at the back, but even that would not daunt her to complete each order as they liked it. Kaede’s help with crowd control and handling the front lightened the owner’s load somewhat.

 

Within thirty minutes the crowd has cleared, leaving only a handful taking their own time to relax and enjoy the moment.

 

“Here you go.” Kaoru passed Kaede a cup of warm tea the moment she finished wiping the counter top. The owner was confident that her loyal part-timer has grown tired of drinking batches of coffee and though the tea she had concocted only had a teabag on, Kaede found that endearing in her own way.

 

Rumor has it that small gangs were wreaking havoc around the main streets. From what Kaede eavesdropped along her way to work or to the music conservatoire, the gangs has been causing trouble after a fallout with a middle-business owner that fired them. The unfortunate sight of seeing obscene words spray-painted on shop fronts and broken display windows had caused residents fear and terror. No one has caught them red-handed so far, and the police are in the midst of investigating the trouble those gangs have caused.

 

For now, the streets are back to normal, but for how long?

 

What Kaede did not realize that she was being watched. The moment that Kaede sensed that there was an extra presence lurking around the streets lately, she had been cautious over anyone who tried to do anything funny with her or the coffeeshop. She leaned on the display window, confident she had finally caught the figure loitering near the shop.

 

The person was nowhere to be found.

 

Typical.

 

Kaede felt safe again. It might be a small act, but nevertheless an act to keep everyone in Cantata safe and comfortable.

 

Disturbing her brief celebration of tranquility, the bell from the entrance flickered. A boy with the black baseball cap entered the shop, a familiar face left Kaede glee with joy, forgetting about the lurking presence she was worrying about earlier on.

 

“Did I come at a right time? Oh hey, Kaede. We…meet again.” Shuichi waved, taking his usual seat. “I don’t mind staying here for a while; supposedly I had an appointment with a client but they postponed it on a later time.”

 

Kaede put down her cup of tea as she let it cool. “So, the usual?”

 

Shuichi nodded. This was all it takes for Kaoru to prepare his order without saying a single word.

 

“So, that bike you got there.” Kaede looked at the white and silver mountain bike that was stationed at the edge of the road, its shiny exterior formed a strong gleam on it that the pianist looked away not long after. “Let me guess…a birthday present from your parents.”

 

Shuichi smiled. “You could say that. It’s more like a gift for solving a big case last week. My uncle felt bad for making me work overtime for the past several days while juggling school at the same time…”

 

“And that’s when your uncle gave you that.” Kaede finished his sentence. “That’s so nice of your uncle. I wished my parents could let me buy that Steinway piano that I’ve been wanting to play. It’s unfortunate, and that’s one reason why I’m working here.” Kaede drank the now-cooled cup of tea. “Now—”

 

Everyone could hear it. What they heard was hardly deafening, but the loud screech of metals clashing together was enough to make some jump out of their seats. Standing near the display window, Kaede was taken aback, dropping her cup of tea while at it. Shuichi showed a puzzled look over her sudden change in mood.

 

“What’s wrong---oh. That.”

 

Shuichi turned to see the hijinks that Kaede had just witnessed. Surely it was not as bad as he imagined, and surely, he hoped that it was not the scenario that he thinks it is.

 

Wrong.

 

The back half of his mountain bike laid twisted and crumpled on the road. All that was pressing against his bike was a red and black cruiser, its engines came to a halt when the rider realized the accident that he had been a part of.

 

The cruiser reversed as it left the mountain bike be the sole center of attention. The rider got off his seat and took out his helmet. He was around Kaede’s and Shuichi’s age with his youthful looks, his lime green hair and multiple ear piercings on his right ears being his most striking features for the occupants witnessing the accident at Cantata.

 

“Here’s the usual.” Kaoru placed Saihara’s cup of coffee on the table top. “What are you two looking at-” Seeing the two teens staring at the now damaged bike got an oblivious Kaoru to best left her question hanging.

 

At that moment, the lime-haired boy took a good look at the damage he has caused, regretting what he has done as he got the half-damaged bike leaning next to Cantata’s display window. He went into the coffee shop once done, scanning his surroundings to find the owner of the bike.

 

“Ah, I think I might have trampled that great-looking bike from someone here. It was a complete accident, I swear.” The rider said. The tone Kaede sensed from what he said was truthfully regretful and that he had no malicious intent for doing such damage to Shuichi’s mountain bike.

 

Shuichi stepped out, admitting to the stranger. “That’s…mine.” Shuichi went out and checked the damages done to his mountain bike, taking a while to assess it carefully before returning to Cantata with the dented bike next to him. “Judging by the severity of the dents, I could have the frame and back wheel replaced, and the brakes on the back wheel fixed at a repair shop.” The boy detective tested the bicycle bell, a few rings resonated clearly within the vicinity of the shop. Shuichi gave a small sigh of relief. “At least the rest are still working fine, all factors considered.”

 

 _That was some way to pacify the situation_ , thought Kaede. She was not too sure if Shuichi testing the bicycle bell was a passive-aggressive way of telling the culprit that he was trying to tell the lime-haired boy that he meant business about the situation. Oddly enough, he seemed to be taking the situation rather calmly.

 

Too calmly, in fact.

 

The boy with multiple piercings let out a light-hearted laugh, trying to lighten the mood despite the accident he has caused. “The repairs don’t come cheap, as far as I can tell. Since I’m the one who’s at fault here, let me pay for it instead. Sounds like a fair deal, don’t you think?”

 

Shuichi pondered for a moment before nodding his head. “Fine by me. Whatever works for you….err…”

 

“Rantaro Amami. Amami or Rantaro; your choice. I’m fine with either.” In an instant, Rantaro took out his smartphone, checking some details while Kaede stood next to Shuichi, just to make sure that he was taking this without any hidden regrets.

 

“So…Saihara-kun. You’re not mad or anything?”

 

Shuichi gave a nonchalant shrug, giving Kaede a pat on her shoulder for reassurance. “You heard him. At least no one's hurt and he’s admitting to his mistakes. Besides, whatever he’s done to my bike, I can always use other means to head to school and crime scenes like I always do.”

 

When Kaede and Shuichi turned back to Rantaro, he was looking much more irritated this time, as though he was displaced by something. Fortunately, it did not take long for him to return to his usual relaxed demeanor as he put away his phone and turned to the situation at hand.

 

“Apparently, my bank accounts won’t do. It’s quite unfortunate for this to happen at a time like this.”

 

“How about cash?” Shuichi proposed.

 

In an instance, Rantaro took out his wallet, finding only two sheets of 1000-yen bill and a few coins in his possession.

 

“I’m afraid this might take a while. Is there anything I could do to make up for it?”

 

* * *

 

 “So, what do you think?”

 

Rantaro adjusted the tie that came with Cantata's uniform, spinning around once to show Kaoru, Kaede and Shuichi his new attire. Wearing a pair of black trousers, a vested suit consisting of a red-checkered vest, a white shirt, and a black tie, this was quite a transformation given how sophisticated Rantaro appeared in front of them. A stark contrast to his more rougher and adventurous first impression when he took his first step into the coffee shop about an hour ago. 

 

An impressed Kaede observed the new part-timer in awe and gave Rantaro two thumbs up. "You look great in Cantata's uniform! I've been wondering if I ever get to see anyone wearing Cantata's male uniform but..." The pianist squees with excitement and took a side glance at Shuichi to observe his reaction. He has not spoken much since Rantaro was offered the part-time job and all he could do was to take the sideline and observe what was in front of him.  

  
“Very fitting, actually.” Kaoru wrote something onto a sticker label before pasting it onto Rantaro. The word 'Trainee' stick out upon further assessing his overall uniform. "Good thing you wrecked his bike; my hands are full dealing with customers lately and I haven't got the time to find another part-timer. There's no way Kaede can manage the crowd all by herself while I'm at the back making orders."

 

Kaoru turned to the boy detective, fully aware of the words she had said to Rantaro. "Err...no hard feelings, eh?" 

 

Shuichi shook his head, his expression remained as stoic as it is. "Something's missing, though." He glanced at Kaoru's attire before turning back to the lime-haired boy. "You need an apron."

 

Kaede clapped her hands together as if she had remembered something important. "Oh, yeah. An apron. You don't look like a waiter without it. I knew there was something amiss with your uniform but I couldn't pinpoint what exactly until Saihara-kun mentioned it." 

 

“Shuichi, would you mind finding an apron in the storeroom? I might have extras with the shipment coming in as recent as about a week ago. It’s placed right on top of a box, I remembered taking it out to check beforehand. Neatly wrapped.”

 

The boy detective pointed at himself, a little surprised that Kaoru is asking him to do things despite being a customer. "M-me?"

 

"Kaede has to teach Rantaro how to take orders and familiarize himself with Cantata's menu, while I have to clean this baby up before the afternoon shift." The owner patted at the espresso machine, understanding that Shuichi is in the right in asking that question. "I know it's not practical to ask a customer such as yourself to do this, but ever since you visit Cantata regularly, I see you and Kaede as part of my family. Will that be all right with you?"

 

 _Part of this family_ , Shuichi thought. It was nice seeing Kaede and her radiant smile every time he came to visit and experiencing something new drinking Kaoru's perfectly blended espresso. To him, this was a place where he can share his worries without feeling uncomfortable. 

 

"So, where's the apron?"

 

"It's right in front of you when you open the door. I should have one apron of this little twerp's size out of the box. New shipment, you can't miss it." Kaoru instructed before passing a key to Shuichi. With that, he walked off, leaving only the two part-timers and Kaoru on their own.

 

"There's still time before the afternoon shift. Let me brief you what we offer at Cantata, how to take orders from customers and serving them if the situation requires it." Kaede said, holding up a menu and passed it to the new part-timer. "Here are the signature orders on this side, and on the other side, we have the other beverages going in order by blend alongside the seasonal stuff. All you have to do is to remember the prices for all the orders, as well as the customers' preferences in terms of how much sugar or cream they would like in their coffee." Kaede checked Rantaro, making sure that he understands the menu. "Good so far?"

 

Rantaro studied the menu, grasping the orders rather easily. "Yeah, no problem." As he looked at what Cantata offers, Rantaro spotted the entire section of coffee that had a tape that states 'Not Available'. "How long is this entire section of coffee made with Sumatran coffee beans closed to customers?"

 

Kaoru sighed. "About two months now. No shipment of this coffee, unfortunately. Tried canceling these batch of Sumatran coffee beans from the supplier, but they said it was the logistics company's fault for the delayed shipment. Lost some customers as a result of not having their usual order available, like that nice guy named Ka-"

 

"That logistics company...is it Hinode Corp? Hinode Logistics Corp, to be exact." 

 

“Hinode Corp... I heard of that one. From what I know from someone who works in the government, it’s a company known for its logistics operations around the world and covering its services in all of Europe, North America, Brazil, and most major ports in Asia.” 

 

“Woah, Kaoru. You know what they do?”

 

“Like I said, I have connections.” The coffee shop owner gave a playful pinch on Kaede’s cheek, the pianist chuckled before gently pushing aside her hand. “There’s plenty more that you don’t know about it but a woman likes to keep some mysteries of her own. It makes a woman more appealing, especially at my age.”

 

“Yeah, right.” Kaede bantered before turning her attention back to Rantaro.

 

"Why did you raise this up, may I asked?" Kaoru asked. She realized how unusual it was for someone to raise this question when spotting orders not available. 

 

Rantaro realized that he had spilled out some details that are best left unsaid.

 

"I've known for the company's troubles for quite some time, and you aren't the only one affected by the delay. Let's just say I have some connections with the head honcho in Hinode Corp. Would you believe me if I'm actually the heir to the CEO of Hinode Corps?" 

  

Kaede stood completely still at the revelation for a moment and thought back at the entire situation surrounding Rantaro. 

 

_That explains that expensive-looking cruiser he was riding. No way Rantaro could have bought it with his entire life savings at his age._

 

“So, you’re the heir of the CEO of an international company? But I don’t remember having heard any famous executives that’s named ‘Amami’.” Using her smartphone, Kaede searched for ‘Amami’ on the search engine, but it only presented irrelevant results. “Are you sure you’re not making this up to make yourself look more important than you really are?” Kaede asked jokingly, despite knowing that Rantaro could not be lying about his status.

 

Rantaro placed the menu back on a stack. “I happen to adopt my mother’s maiden name. That’s one reason why I didn’t want anyone to know that I’m the son of Hinode Corp’s CEO.”

 

He said it.

 

For once, revealing his identity to someone he felt he could trust was a relieving experience in a long time. “Makes talking to people a hassle if they knew. Promise me that you won’t tell anyone, will you?” Rantaro held out his pinkie, waiting for Kaede to do the same.

 

Kaede was astounded with the secret, getting to talk to someone of status for probably the first time in her life. She held out her pinkie too and locked his, gripping it tight to show that she was serious. “Pinkie promise.” The pianist used her other hand to gesture zipping her lips.

 

Returning from the storeroom, Shuichi witnessed the two teens from afar. Seeing Kaede made a new friend made him happy too, considering that he has not many friends growing up. Him helping out with his uncle’s detective work and his parents abroad was hardly a distancing factor for him to make friends, but his reserved demeanor did little to gain him any friends for long.

 

"Here you go." Shuichi passed the apron to the lime-haired boy. In a few seconds, Rantaro unwrapped the plastic and wore the black-colored apron, completing the waiter look. 

 

"Now you look like a professional waiter," Kaoru commented. "Remember what Kaede and I have taught you, and you're all set to start the afternoon shift." 

 

* * *

Business was even smoother than usual with Rantaro's addition to the roster in the afternoon shift. 

 

Probably too smooth, in fact. 

 

For the first two hours, Rantaro took some time taking orders from customers. He had to repeat some orders several times, making sure that whatever that is entered into the cashier must be accurate. But once he got used to the process, the process hasten and the line that extended all the way to the next shop moved and leaving most customers satisfied. Shuichi left around the first half hour, the reasoning being that he needs to attend an ongoing case he has been working on with the police. As Kaede saw him left the coffee shop, she could not help but feel if Shuichi has the same concerns of his presence being more of a load with Rantaro taking the reigns in spending more time with the Cantata staff. 

 

Could she be thinking too much into the situation? Kaede hoped that her worries are counterproductive to the situation at hand. 

 

By the third hour, the line shortened, and Rantaro was given the opportunity to work on menial tasks. Cleaning cups, replacing faulty bulbs and moping the spill on the floor. All Kaede have to do was to supervise and make sure that the junior part-timer did his job properly. Taking about thirty minutes at most to complete the tasks, Rantaro found himself free of responsibilities temporarily. 

 

"Here's a picture of me on a yacht from the French canals to the Mediterranian region. Took me about eight months and a half to finally set foot on my destination, which is several days earlier than the general estimated time there." He showed photos of himself and his guide on the yacht, as well as sceneries of the sea and locations he had visited on his professional-level camera to Kaede and Kaoru, leaving the former in awe with the beautiful landscapes. "Found my sister Satsuki hanging around in Athens, and I'm glad that she's safe. Four down, eight more to go." Rantaro showed pictures of himself and his sister, who was clearly in middle school age looking less enthusiastic than her brother whenever there are pictures of the two siblings together. 

 

"Sounds pretty exciting, having twelve sisters." Kaede sighed, thinking deeply about something. "It would be nice if I could have a younger sibling of my own." 

 

Rantaro put down the camera gently on the countertop and took Kaede's words in stride. "My family is a lively bunch. I could bring you and Saihara-san to see my sisters someday, but I'll probably have to return home once I cleared my debt to Saihara-san." 

* * *

Two weeks passed by quickly in Cantata, be it rain or shine. The routines remained the same, but the experiences were always new for everyone involved.

 

When Shuichi visited the shop one late afternoon, the first thing that greeted him to Cantata was how packed it is. 

 

Filled mostly with female customers, with the sole guys he could notice at first sight being him, Rantaro and a group of salarymen taking their time with their coffee inside a room, mostly unaware at the commotion that was surrounding the rest of the coffee shop when all of them were focused on their laptops. 

 

"G'afternoon, Saihara-kun!" An exhausted Kaede greeted the boy detective, walking hurriedly to the counter as she collected the next batch of orders and double-checking the receipts before heading to the next table. "Can you please take Amami-kun away from the customers thankyouverymuch." 

 

He turned to the table where the newer part-timer is, chatting away with the female customers who were enjoying his presence as he showed pictures of his travels and tell his worldly tales finding his remaining sisters. 

 

“...and this one's from my travels in Nepal. The mountains are a sight to behold besides Mount Everest, and I intend on conquering it when I'm ready enough to do so...” The female customers were swooning, barely containing their excitement as Rantaro showed the next batch of photos. “That’s where I found Mina; and would you believe if I found her pretending to be dead in some sort of ritual? I was shocked at first but-”

 

"Excuse me, mind if I get a hold of **him**?" Rantaro felt a strong tug on his sleeve, leaving his camera behind and leaving only himself out from the table. Rantaro turned to see who did it and found Shuichi, still grabbing his arm before letting go moments later. 

 

"Orders from Kaede. Again." Shuichi pointed at Kaede, sweating buckets and barely concealing her exhaustion rushing towards the two boys. "I thought you were going to tell the customers that you're just a part-timer. I doubt that they came here just for the coffee. No hard feelings, but your stories might be working a little too well with them." 

 

As soon as Kaede reached the two boys, she dragged them both and took a seat on the stairs, near where the room with the salarymen was situated.

 

"Okay, Amami-kun. I know you've been doing your job attracting customers and sharing your stories of your travels to your customers, but I think this needs to stop. We've never seen these many customers visiting Cantata. I mean, it's nice and all and this is probably my first time seeing Kaoru worked so hard making coffee nonstop but even that is driving her to her limits." Kaede explained in a hurried tone, herself being pushed to her utmost extent while sounding appreciative of Rantaro's efforts in attracting customers by the day. 

 

"And you not helping Kaede with the drinks and chatting with the ladies, you womanizer." Walking wobbly towards the three teens was a stern-looking Kaoru after churning and serving the last batch of coffee to the remaining customers. 

 

Rantaro let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, seems like it. They liked my stories, though, and I feel bad if I have to turn them away. Give me some time to settle this."

 

Kaoru nodded, hoping that the lime-haired boy stick to his word. "Better do it quick. Never do I imagine myself to close Cantata for a while once we're done with this."

 

* * *

 

"It's a rare occasion for me to stay in one spot for more than three days. This is sort of a first, actually." 

 

Dark clouds soon formed from the skies, the clashes of thunder signaling that it was time for fellow residents to seek shelter. Another week has passed since the whole fiasco between Rantaro and the sudden influx of female customers visiting Cantata, and with the lime-haired boy informing the female customers that have been visiting him solely to hear his stories that he was leaving his part-time job, it has left most disappointed. It was a necessary move, but nevertheless, he and his guests parted ways on good terms. Though the move was not a total loss for Kaoru, as some customers appreciate the coffee that she has concocted. 

 

"No worries." Kaoru counted Rantaro's earning for the last time before parting most of the money to Shuichi. "Thanks to you and your amazing stories, you've attracted way more customers than Cantata has ever seen in months. But no way can Kaede and I handle that many customers with only the both of us. This place isn't in it only for the profits, but I'm glad you understand the way Cantata works before the situation got out of hand." Rantaro took the rest of his earnings, a portion enough for him to get by for at least a week. 

 

“Seems like it’s time for me to leave. Thanks to you, you could say that I’m feeling homesick for the first time in years. I can't wait to see my sisters again and see how much they've grown since I was gone. So's the situation in Hinode Corp. Rest assured that your shipment will arrive shortly if I ever get to speak with my dad through proper channels. But before that,” Rantaro placed a one-thousand-yen bill on the countertop.

 

Kaoru gave a puzzled look. “Another order?”

 

Rantaro nodded. “That’s for someone who needs it more than I do. Keep the change, or you can hand over the change to that person. I guess this is the time to take my leave. I’ll definitely return here again.” He turned to Kaede and Shuichi, giving his mysterious smile as always. "Akamatsu-san, Saihara-san. You two are probably some of the most interesting people I've seen in my travels thus far. Till we meet again." 

 

"Same here," Shuichi said, finding his stories intriguing despite not being around Cantata as often as the other two. "Cantata will be pretty quiet without your presence."

 

"You're welcome to come back to Cantata any time," Kaede said. The two teenagers waved goodbye as the lime-haired boy exited the coffee shop.

 

After taking some time to warm up the engines, Rantaro rode his cruiser away from Cantata, the blaring noise coming from the motorbike blazed through before the street returned to its usual tranquil silence. A drop of water fell onto the pavement, following by another and within seconds, the pavement turned wet as rain poured heavily. 

 

The three occupants were all by themselves again. But soon, it was disrupted by footsteps not too distant from the coffee shop.

 

A shadow loomed towards the shop, moving closer and closer towards the entrance. Kaede took a step back, cautious whoever that way but the three occupants found themselves with a surprisingly short boy, his clothes all tattered and covered with dirt, pressing his arm tightly of what it looked like a wound. He wore a black piece of headwear that has two points that has a picture of two blue tennis rackets on it, alongside a black leather jacket and dark-blue and black striped jumpsuit underneath it. Quickly, he entered the store to shelter himself from the downpour and looked up, his huge, blank eyes and a rather unconventional appearance stood out with a few, minor cuts on his face. He took his time to make himself as comfortable as he could.

 

The short boy, taking refuge from the outside weather spared no time calling his first order he had in a long time. His voice was of an unexpected deep register that fits on an adult man. “Whatever’s in the house. Make that two of the same orders, and I need some medicine and bandages to fix my arm.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...can't believe I slogged through this chapter. I should have written Amami's chapter later if I knew it's going to be this long.
> 
> But nevertheless, I would like to thank you all for your patience. This chapter's way overdue due to personal and health issues but rest assured that the next chapter won't take as long. A bit ambitious take this time, considering that it's Amami we're talking about. As promised, the upcoming updates will be more frequent now that I have my urgent priorities out of the way.


End file.
